October 18, 2024
Contact: Elizabeth Vazquez, LA County Public Works
evazquez@dpw.lacounty.gov / (626) 776-0533
LA County Water Officials Celebrate the 90th Anniversary of Morris Dam, Commemorate Site as National Historic Engineering Landmark
AZUSA, Calif. (Oct. 18, 2024)—Los Angeles County Public Works and local water leaders gathered with the president of the American Society of Civil Engineers this week to celebrate the 90th anniversary of historic Morris Dam in the San Gabriel Mountains. The event culminated in the unveiling of a new plaque proclaiming Morris Dam an American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) National Historic Engineering Landmark, at the same site where the dam was dedicated by former U.S. President Herbert Hoover 90 years ago.
Morris Dam is a vital part of Los Angeles County’s water infrastructure system, providing critical flood control and water supply benefits for the San Gabriel River Watershed since its completion in 1934. At full capacity, the reservoir can hold more than 9 billion gallons of water—enough to serve more than 230,000 LA County residents for a year.
The event featured remarks from LA County Public Works, ASCE, and Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster officials, as well as the grandson of Samuel Brooks Morris. The former Brooks was chief engineer and general manager of the City of Pasadena Water Department and the dam’s namesake. Attendees also witnessed an impressive release of stormwater from the dam, with thousands of gallons streaming from three dam valves into the San Gabriel River to be collected for groundwater recharge by the Santa Fe Spreading Grounds facility downstream.
“The Morris Dam is an exemplary feat of engineering and today’s landmark declaration validates that fact,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “I applaud the American Society of Civil Engineers for their work in making [this] landmark designation come true. Their members and their advocacy help keep Los Angeles County, state, and government partners focused on investing in advancing innovative and modern engineering practices–the same elements that fueled the enduring design and construction of Morris Dam.”
Morris Dam was completed in May 1934 by the City of Pasadena and quickly sold to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. It eventually became part of the Los Angeles County Flood Control District’s vast network of 14 major dams, 27 spreading grounds, nearly 500 miles of open channel and 3,400 miles of underground storm drain. Infrastructure owned by the flood control district is maintained and operated by LA County Public Works. Morris Dam is a concrete, partially arched gravity structure rising 245 feet above the original streambed and is located on the San Gabriel River a few miles below San Gabriel and Cogswell dams.
“This week we celebrated not just the infrastructure itself but its enduring role in our regional water resilience,” said Mark Pestrella, P.E., director of LA County Public Works. “Morris Dam has been instrumental in assuring that our communities have access to safe, clean and reliable water resources. We are proud to honor this landmark and recognize its significant place in LA County’s water history.”
“Water is our most valuable resource, and water infrastructure like the Morris Dam is vital to every community. Dams are important as we see more unprecedented and shifting weather patterns, by storing water to protect people and property during heavy rainfall and releasing it during droughts, providing reliable water supply,” said ASCE Past President Marsia Geldert-Murphey, P.E., F.ASCE. “The innovative techniques and new methods used to build the Morris Dam helped advance dam construction practices, which has benefited the health, safety, and welfare of people all over the world.”
Photos from the event are available here.